The Labour Party has appointed a record number of female MPs and cabinet ministers in British political history.
Labour Wins Landslide
After winning the general election by a landslide, the Labour Party has another victory to celebrate.
Breaking Records
The newly formed Labour government has embraced change and will hold the most amount of female MPs in British history.
Starmer Appoints Cabinet
Labour leader and the now Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Britain’s first females to hold roles in a number of departments.
First Female Chancellor
Rachel Reeves was appointed the country’s first-ever female Chancellor due to her background in economics, but that wasn’t all.
Rayner Appointed Deputy PM
Angela Rayner will become only Britain’s second female Deputy Prime Minister, but there are factors that make this appointment even more impressive.
Rayner’s Tough Background
Rayner, born in Stockport in the North of England, left school with no qualifications and became pregnant at the age of just 16.
A Late Start
Despite these factors, Rayner managed to achieve her qualifications later in her life while raising a child. She is now Deputy Prime Minister.
Mahmood Reclaims Ladywood
Along with this positive step for British politics, Shabana Mahmood reclaimed her seat in Ladywood, Birmingham, after previously making history.
First Female Muslim MP
Mahmood was appointed Justice Secretary and one of Britain’s first-ever female Muslim MPs, but this election wasn’t all smiles for female MPs.
Ugly Scenes at Victory Speech
Jess Phillips was elected again as MP for her constituency of Birmingham Yardley, winning by only 693 votes, but the scenes turned ugly during her victory speech.
“Absolutely Horrible” Campaign
According to Jess Phillips, the last few weeks of campaigning were “absolutely horrible” when she was heckled during her speech.
“Aggressive” Abuse
Phillips revealed that she had been receiving “aggressive” and “intimidatory” abuse during her six-week campaign.
“Humiliation by Men”
Phillips admitted that “In my constituency, the humiliation was by men, to women,” after revealing that a group of men slashed the tyres of campaign activists.
“An Assault on Democracy”
Mahmood stood up for Jess Phillips, calling the men’s actions an “assault on democracy itself.”
Age as a Factor
Starmer has also appointed one of the youngest-ever female cabinet ministers, Louise Haigh.
Transport Secretary Announced
Haigh, who is just 36 years old, has been appointed Transport Secretary. She has served as Shadow Secretary of State since 2021.
Kendall Retains Leicester West
53-year-old Liz Kendall has been appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Kendall retained her seat in Leicester West, a seat she has held since 2010.
Comparing Starmer’s Cabinet
Compared to previous cabinets, Starmer’s appointments may see the most women in British political history, but there’s one record he could not break.
The Downside of Starmer’s Cabinet
Starmer’s cabinet is one of the lowest for ethnic minorities, with the newly appointed foreign secretary David Lammy being the only black member of the cabinet.
Starmer Congratulates Sunak
This could explain why Starmer wanted to congratulate his predecessor, Rishi Sunak, for becoming Britain’s first British-Asian Prime Minister.
British Politics and Diversity
Despite Starmer’s cabinet lacking ethnic minorities, the amount of women is a step in the right direction, with British politics clearly becoming more diverse compared to previous decades.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Martin Suker.